Planning out what garage sales to hit.

So I don't have to go into my day job until 1pm, figure I will hit up some garage sales in the morning.  But how do I find garage sales?  Well there is an app for that!

My personal cell phone is a iPhone 6 so I use the IOS version but it is available for Android as well.  Basically the app interfaces with Craigslist and searches for garage sales.  It is not perfect but it is way better than driving around blindly looking for signs on the road.  

When you bring up the app it shows where you are.  The blue dot is you.  It will list the garage sales within a 20 mile range.  I had 92 sales listed.  You can research the sales by clicking on the red bubble.

When you touch the listing it brings up the Craigslist post.  These are posted by the people who are hosting the garage sales.  Some might be very descriptive and some are very cryptic.  In the ad there should be the sale days and hours.  Also hopefully a usable address.  You can research the listings the night before and change the colors of the bubbles by clicking on the pallet box on the bottom of the screen.

You can also create a route by clicking on the star.  Do this in order, the first one you click will be #1.  Next being number 2 and so on.  If you want directions from your current location to the next sale click on the square with a right arrow in it.  Once clicked it will bring up the Google Maps app. 

Advantages of using this app. 

1. Easily lets you browse and research what garage sales you want to hit.
2. Updates every time you start the app.  Often finds new listings.
3. Allows you to organize what sales you want to hit by color.
4. Uses Google maps to guide you to the next sale  

Negatives of using this app.

1. Info is only as good as the user inputs it.
2. Finds a lot but not all listings.
3. Can only search on Saturday and Sunday.  No option for Friday.  They need to fix that.
4. User has to put in a regular address.  Often people put in on the corner of this and that.  Not helpful for Google maps.

In conclusion, this is an awesome tool.  I have been using it for a month now and have rarely been let down.  Sometimes an old ad is left in Craigslist and creates a wasted trip.  But all in all a useful tool.